For example, the focus can be on reducing the amount of waste or the acidification of the oceans as well as research projects developing sustainable management to protect marine and coastal ecosystems or increase fish stocks again in the future.
Interested associations, projects or institutions should apply for the award by July 31, 2023. A jury of experts from business, science and society will review the effectiveness and feasibility of the entries and select five nominees. The nominees will be presented with their projects on the award website and the public can then vote for their favorite project in a “public voting”.
The “ocean tribute” Award has been presented annually at the boot trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany since 2018. The prize is sponsored by the Prince Albert II Foundation, the German Marine Foundation, boot Düsseldorf (January 20 – 28, 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany) and seabob, a manufacturer of electric sea scooters. The winner will receive €20,000 in prize money and the attention of the international boot community at the award ceremony on January 22 at the blue motion night during the trade fair.
In addition to Herrmann and his Malizia team, previous winners of the award include Innovation Yachts with a sustainable catamaran powered by solar energy, HelioRec with its floating solar power plants for marinas and the Coral Sea Foundation, which trains Melanesians in diving and marine biology studies. “The ocean tribute has become a prestigious and highly regarded award. We have applications and winners from all over the world. This shows that the message for ocean protection that boot and its partners want to bring to the world with the award is also being heard. I am already very excited about this year’s nominees”, stated Petros Michelidakis, Director of boot Düsseldorf.
Among the boot.club members, the trade air will raffle off a participation for two people in the blue motion night and a Meet & Greet with the winner of the “ocean tribute” 2024 in December.